Arch-supporting shoe.



T. H. GRAYDON ARCH SUPPORTING SHOE. APPLICATION FILED mzc. |7, '1915.

Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

u'mumia H. G-RAYDDN,

0F CINCINNATI, QHIO.

encrr-surron'rme siren.

essence.

Application filed December 17, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be 1t known that I, THOMAS H. GRAYooN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident vide a means for supporting the arch of the toot. In devices of this character, there are a variety of shoes made up with reinforcing counters, metallic reinforcing means and the like, which bear on the arch portions of the foot. In these shoes when the counters or reinforcements break down, which they are bouhd to do after wear, then the arch is left without the extrasupport. There is no means of taking up the wear oi this reinforcement, and it is stifi at first, and worn down. later.

It is the object of my invention to build into the shoe an instep bandage, and tie it to the sole of the shoe so that the arch will be held up by the shoe sole, and the whole shoe act in conjunction with the arch support. It is also my object to use this banddcvice in connection with stiiiening or reinforcing devices when desired, said bandage keeping up the life of the stifleners. it is also the object to have this bandage corrceal ed from view and capable of being taken up as the leather of the shoe stretches and the sole becomes worn and soft, and furthermore to arrange the laces of the shoe so that they will act as the laces "for the bandage.

These objects l accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement oi parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

in the drawing,

' Figure l is a side elevation oi a shoe partly broken away.

Fi 2 is a vertical stop bandage.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a low shoe section through the inwith tho bandage exterior to the shoe.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan, Fig. 5 a left side elevation, and 6 a right side elevation of a last having counters tacked thereto.

Fig. '7 is a left side elevation of the same parts with the addition of the bandage.

Fig. 8 is right side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. i",

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. id, 18917.,

Serial No. 67,345.

1 is the sole of the shoe and 2 the upper thereof. The upper has eyelets 3, 3, through which the usual laces 8 are drawn in the customary manner to draw the parts of the upper together over the foot.

In making up the shoe, the upper is drawn over a last and together with the upper and inside of it in my preferred form are drawn the flexible members 4:, 4, of the instep bandage. As shown in Fig. 2, the upper and bandage portions are then inseamed to the lip of the insole 5 together with the welt 6, and the Welt then stitched onto the outer sole 1. If it is desired to have the flexible bandage members outside of the upper so to show in the completed shoe, which would probably be done with athletic shoes (Fig. 3), then the said members are secured to the insole on the outside of the upper,

The flexible members have eyelets 7, 7, which receive the laces 8 of the shoe proper. The lacing is done by merely bringing the lace after passing through an eyelet of the shoe upper, out and through the eyelet of the flexible member. It is then brought over and through the opposite eyelet of the upper and then out and through the opposite bandage member. In this way, the strain of the laces is borne by the bandage and the tighteningof the laces will draw up the bandwi'thout materially ailecting the lacing oi the upper. Not only this, but this interior lacing; does not show to the eye, and to outer appearance there is nothing unsightly or out of the ordinary about the shoe.

It is also desirable to have suitable counters in connection with new bandages, as these counters are of great value in giving the proper bearing surface for the sides of the arch of the foot, and as their use in conjunction with the adjustable bandage results in a shoe which will always adequately support and give contour to the arch. As heretofore stated, the counters, if put into .an ordinary shoe, are dependent on thesole of the shoe for keeping them in proper shape and position. A. shoe sole will wear down and become soft in a very short time, and then the counter wears also and stretches out of shape and out of the proper position to give shape to and support the arch. With the sole held up at the point of strain in a fiat footed p rson by the bandage which can be tightened after the shoe is Worn soft,

the wells, as is customary for Welted shoes.

the shoe lasts.

in nee these counters will remain in proper conditwo, and he of permanent value as long as The counters are set in the usual way. I prefer to have a long counter 9 on the outside of the shoe, the same extending around. the heel and along. the inside of the shoe at 10. Then directly under the arch is placed another counter 11, both of said counters being inseamed into the shoe together with vention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is

1. In an arch supporting shoe, the combination with a sole for the shoe and an upper having eyelets and lacing, of a pair of exib'le pieces for supporting the foot, and

means for securing said pieces, one on each side of the sole of the shoe at the shank portion thereof, said pieces extending up toward the instep of the foot, and having eyelets to receive the laces of the shoe, said eyelets being located so as to come below the eyelets in the upper whereby the tension of the pieces may be adjusted by tightening, or loosening the lacing of the shoe.

2. In an arch supporting shoe, the combination with a sole for the shoe and an upper having eyelets and lacing, of a pair of flexible pieces for supporting the foot, and means for securing said pieces, one on each side of the sole of the shoe at the shank portion thereof, said pieces extending up toward the instep of the foot, and having eyelets to receive the laces of the shoe,'said eyelets being located so as to come below the eyelets in the upper whereby the tension of the pieces may be adjustedby tightening or loosening the lacing. of the" shoe, and the sole of said shoe having arch supporting stifieners lIlCOl'pOl'itlZFJCl therewith at the shank portion, whereby the tensioning of i the fiexiblc pieccs Will pull upwardly and forwardly toward the instep the arch supporting stifieners.

THOMAS H. (maroon. 

